Target
by zebraboymom
Summary: Steve has to make a sniper shot. It could mean life or death.


Target

Zebraboymom

Disclaimer: They do not belong to me. It could happen though. Right? Right?

Author Notes: Side note. I was blown away when they made a connection between Hesse and Wo Fat Monday night. That was in my story Breaking Point. Ha! Okay, I promised some one shots and this one came to me last night as I was dozing off. Glad it stuck with me when I woke up. I should write these ideas down before I forget them sometimes. Steve has to make a decision that could potentially break his heart and the rest of the team. Unfortunately he doesn't have a choice.

When Steve McGarrett was a Navy Seal he was a sniper. He could hit within an inch of a target from 100 yards on a rolling sea. He could be cold and calculating in his approach. He had one of the steadiest fingers on his team back then. But today he was shaking like a leaf. He was hiding on a roof looking down on a heartbreaking scene. The man he had the site of his sniper rifle trained on was a hostage taker. The man was out of his mind at this point. Three people were lying dead on the ground already and now he had his gun to the temple of his final hostage. She had only been trying to help the family that now lay scattered around them on the ground. He could see her through his scope and there were tears shining in her eyes. The man had struck her hard across the cheek with the gun and it was swollen and red. She was trying to be so strong, but this mad man had brought this strong woman to her breaking point. Steve knew the gunman was going to kill her. Years of training told him the man had broken from reality. Danny and Chin were trying to stall him, but Steve knew if he didn't take the shot the young woman he held against him was going to lose her life.

His strong, beautiful Kono was going to die.

He wiped his eyes fighting tears as he looked for the shot. He hadn't realized until this moment that she had become more than a team mate to him, more than a detective and more than just a friend. He literally stopped breathing as he took aim. Kono must have sensed that a shot was coming. She was trying desperately to put some space between her and the shooter, but he had her in a crushing hold with one arm. He wondered if she knew the reason he wasn't down there with Danny and Chin was that he was the one taking the shot. He looked through the scope and saw her face for just an instant before he trained it on the shooter. He saw her mouth words. It looked like she was saying, "It's okay, Steve". At that moment she pushed against the man and there was space. It was just enough. Steve pulled the trigger and the man dropped to the ground. Death had been instant.

Steve stood and looked down at Kono. She swayed for a moment and then looked up to where he stood. A look passed between them and then she sunk down to the ground as Chin and Danny rushed to her side. Steve literally sprinted down the stairs to her. By the time he ran down five flights of stairs and across the grassy knoll, paramedics had converged on her. He stood over them looking down with the sniper rifle in one hand. She was trembling and he wanted to take her in his arms, but an EMT was checking her over. He took her vitals and asked her the usual questions. Kono finally pushed him away and said she was fine, but Steve knew better. He dropped the rifle on the ground, reached down for a cold pack and started breaking it up. He reached down with his hand and took Kono's small one in his, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. He slipped his arm around her waist to ground her and gently pressed the cold pack to her cheek. She looked up at him and he saw just how devastated she was.

"Boss, get me out of here."

Chin and Danny were taking care of the scene of the triple murder. Steve nodded at Chin who understood what he was doing. Steve put her in Danny's car and pulled quickly out into traffic heading for the beach. He knew it always calmed her. He looked over at her.

Her hands were shaking and she was having a hard time catching her breath. She was having a panic attack.

"I can't breath, Boss."

He reached over and gently pushed her head down.

"You're having a panic attack. Bend over and take some slow deep breaths."

"I'm going to be sick."

Steve pulled over and Kono burst out of the car retching into the grass over and over until she had dry heaves. Steve knew the feeling. He wanted to throw up too. His mind kept going to the scenario where he missed and had to watch her brains splatter all over the ground. He closed his eyes when they started to burn with tears again and knelt down beside her to hold her hair back. He rubbed tender circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her. When she was done she collapsed against him. He helped her up and back in the car. He reached in the back for a bottle of water and drove to one of the quieter beaches and parked. He would follow her lead now. Kono got out of the car and rinsed her mouth several times. She then drank the rest of the water and tossed the bottle, walking down into the soft sand. The beach was empty and she was glad for the simplicity of sand and water. She sunk down and pulled her legs up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and stared at the waves coming it.

Steve gave her some time before he got out of the car and walked slowly to where she sat. She suddenly looked so small and vulnerable to him in the small space she occupied on the big beach. For all her strength and skills she was, after all, a human being and people shouldn't have to go through afternoons like this. They weren't meant to suffer this kind of pain. He wished with everything he had to be able to take the memory of today away from her. He knew it would leave its mark on her. He dropped down in the sand beside her and gazed out at the sea just as she did. He was looking for wisdom about what to say to her, so they sat there without speaking and allowed the sea to calm them. Finally Steve turned to look at her profile. Her jaw was set hard and he knew she was grinding her teeth. He finally spoke.

"It's okay, Kono. You ran it by the book the whole way. You had no idea he was crazy. All bets are off in those cases."

Her head whipped towards him and her eyes spoke volumes about how angry she was with herself.

"Why didn't I see it? Why couldn't I read him better? I hesitated. I was sure I could talk him out of it, but then he pistol-whipped me and I dropped my gun. Dammit, I dropped my gun and that family lost whatever chance they had! If I had done my job better, they'd still be alive. He was going to die anyway. Why couldn't I just pull the trigger? If I hadn't hesitated they'd still be…alive…"

Her voice began to choke.

"It's my…fault they're…dead. Mine…"

She finally began to sob and shake uncontrollably.

Steve turned to her and opened his arms wide.

"Come here."

Kono scrambled into his lap like a small child and tucked her head into his neck. It was then that she let go and wept. Steve cuddled her close and stroked his hand over her hair whispering softly to her as he rocked her.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay, Kono. You will get through this. You will. It was nobody's fault. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

He was actually relieved to see her cry. Bottling it up wasn't the answer and he was so glad she trusted him enough to break down in front of him. He held her close and thought about how much she meant to him. If he had lost her today before he told her how he really felt about her, he doesn't know what he would have done.

Eventually Kono's sobs lessened to soft little hiccups. Steve thought it was very endearing. He pulled her back from him just enough to take a look at her cheek. Kono wouldn't meet his eyes. She stared down through wet lashes. He stroked his thumb gently across what would be an ugly bruise later. It was so warm to his touch. He felt Kono shudder and she finally looked up into his eyes. She expected to see judgment, but only found affection shining back at her.

"We need to ice that again when we get back to headquarters, okay?"

Kono nodded and took in a deep shuddering breath.

Steve took both hands and swept her hair back from her face. He left his hands at the sides of her neck with his thumbs resting at the corners of her mouth. He searched her eyes.

"Better?"

Kono nodded again. She didn't know what to say. This tender care of her had her heart beating wildly out of control. She realized she had never been this close to Steve before and she was suddenly aware of his masculinity and his strength. It made her stomach do flips. They gazed into each other's eyes for a minute and then Steve's voice came out filled with emotion.

"I was scared too, Kono. I kept seeing in my mind what could happen if I missed."

"But you didn't. You saved my life. I knew you would."

"How?"

"Uh…you shot him, remember?"

"No, I know how I killed him, but how did you know I wouldn't let him kill you?"

"I always know you'll protect me no matter what. I just know you. In my heart, I knew you wouldn't let him kill me. It gives me peace of mind knowing that you care about me…about the team so much."

Steve held her gaze.

"I would Kono. I would do anything to protect you, always."

The look they now gave each other went beyond team members and the words they had just spoken became very personal. Kono's eyes fluttered shut and Steve slowly closed the gap between them taking her lips with his. It was a slow tender kiss that made Kono light headed as it went deeper. When he pulled back, he ran his thumbs across her now kiss swollen lips, took a deep breath and smiled. He pulled a clean rag out of his back pocket. He had been heading out to work on his motorcycle when the call came in. Kono smiled up at him and took the rag.

"An oil rag?"

"It's clean. I promise."

"That's pretty sweet Boss."

"Kono, given our current position and what just happened, would you please consider calling me Steve?"

"I'd like that…Steve."

"It was nothing."

"Oh it was something. Believe me when I say it was something."

Steve reached under her and scooped her up as he rose to his knees and then stood.

"We need to get back to headquarters and act like real cops for awhile. Maybe later I could help take care of that bruise. I could come over and kiss it and make it feel better."

"I think that kind of first aid would be more than welcome at my place."

Kono laid her hand on Steve's cheek as they reached the car and leaned in to initiate a kiss of her own this time.

"Woman, you are going to have to stop that or I won't be able to get anything done the rest of the day. I might have to just drive you home and render services to you instead."

"Steve McGarrett, you did not just say that."

"Get in the car Kalakaua."

"Yes, Boss."

Steve's eyebrows went up and he made a mock angry face.

"I mean. Steve."

They both jumped in and Steve started the engine. He revved it up a couple of times and peeled out of the parking lot.

"You know, if we're going to steal Danny's car more often, I need to talk him into getting a convertible."

Kono threw her head back and laughed as she propped her feet up on Danny's dash.

Steve loved hearing her laugh again. He intended to make her do that every day for the rest of her life. He turned towards HQ and back into the hectic lifestyle they lead, but his heart felt lighter.

His Kono was safe. He reached for her hand and squeezed it. She turned and gave him her dimply smile and his world righted once again.


End file.
